Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-07-02
rERNS--2g. .00 PER fbNR
sRAZIL'S POLITICAL SYSTEM
'rh. Provinces Corsid-rtn.. ihe SUB
trc1 oE Federation

A,cc:I1- % recent adyic.s from Pernam-
buco the ides Of federation u provinces. WITH
a large measure OF self-goveTnment for each.
Is steadily gaining sGherantS in thar province.
The scheme = oce which CCmments itself 70
he thoughtful consideration 0t every Brazil
ian. aot because 10 Is 4 step toward repabiE
canlsTr, but because 70 = necessary feature
in suy genuinely representative form OF gov
srpIueut A ..ureseHtsgiye form which repre-
s-uis no Independence or self government &C
the psIs e. the persons Or provinces repre-
sented IS Illogical There can D. no VALID
.roresent&ticn where there 5 HOtfxng ~ re
resent In this respect The political system
OK Brazil Is both defective and misleading IL
!, called constitutions representative
monarchy, but 10 nearly eserT respect these
terms are mlsnomers. Its constitution was
the WORK Of its 6rst emperor, ana ~as ratified
tv few municipal assemblies, but its
guarantees are Yaiueless and It's authority
imaginary. is representative eiemeHt IS con
rued % the election OF Legislators ~ prcTS
inces governed Dy Al ,mverisi deieg2te and
kept Ia order by jGlges sud police officials ap-
pointed oy me imperial executive. In popu,
lstlon of, say, Il, 0O0. 600, there are irss thar
ISL. 900 voters, and even their expressed Wib
IA reversed With IMMUNITY here IN he imperial
capital. The provinces have legislatures, IL is
true. hut ,helr powers are greatly restF!~Eee
and their recoases limited And a. ;or ths-
nuncIp pallties, they hAv- IS Little clearly de
lined local government a. csn be found N an5
political system m the world. As for the
| nOn archical element. IL exists In principle
ana IN fact, but c Is IN reality more demo-
| cratic than the people themselves. thorough
remOtelns q. his Inconsistent, complicated
system uught not 70 be difficult task, and is
| ought 10 be accomplished within the life OF
| the present emperor, Tor the simple reason
| that his personal authority aud inhnence are
necessary 10 settle questions snich all never
be settled without him
The scheme Of federation" Is. ~e fear,
both misleading and unnecessary. Tho
| principle involved s the necessary thing, bus
that can be secured without bringing IN The
| disturbing idea Of federation A change IN
the constitution would De required, but that
I might he secured through the usual pariia-
mentar, usageS The essential principles In
VOWED are comprised In provisions for clearly
defined provincial and municipal selt-govern-
ment, a definite dsch system In which thn
| provinces and municipalities shall receiva
their ius. snare of the public revenue, . clear
discrimination Of the relationship between the
provinces and the imperial government an ex-
pressed limitation Of the powers Of the pro
vinces ia matters affecting the empire and OF
| the imperial government 10 matters affecting
the local affairs OF the provinces, and sharp
prohibition Of imperial influence in the cleo
ton of provincial officials or representatives
to the imperisla parliament In all this there
|. nothing incompatible with the system undsr
which Brazil Is now supposed to bs governsd
L Rio Nsaas.